Outdoor Alternative Provision Programme Leader - Oxfordshire

Contract type: Freelance

Closing date: 28 Jul 2026 03:00 PM

Location: West Oxfordshire

Salary: £35 per teaching hour

Current sessions available with immediate start: Outdoor Alternative Provision for complex needs. Primary 1 x Yr.1 student & 1 x Yr.3 student. Working within school grounds. Location: Primary school in West/West Oxfordshire (also looking for bank staff across Oxfordshire).

Salary range: We strive to engage quality leaders by paying a minimum rate of £35 per teaching hour. Additional increments are added when leading higher skilled sessions or depending on experience. Planning time, preparation and reporting are included in the above rates.

Contract: Short term freelance contract until 17/07/26. Potential hours to continue in September 2026. Programme expenses covered as stated in our expenses policy.

Example of possible hours: Client seeking up to 5 days visits, is flexible to less - the ideal for each day containing 2 x 2hr sessions. We aim to be flexible around our teams' childcare needs.

Responsible to: Regional Manager.

In Our Element Organisation is a social enterprise that started back in 2015. We provide a range of outdoor education programmes to schools or other education providers. These include Forest School, Outdoor learning, Curriculum Enrichment, Early Intervention and 1:1 programmes.

These programmes are particularly supportive to those at risk of permanent exclusion, on reduced timetables or simply identified as needing extra support or time away from the classroom for a variety of background reasons. These programmes aim to increase confidence and self-esteem, providing participants with positive learning experiences to help build resilience and wellbeing.

The right candidate will be taking responsibility for executing these programmes within specific schools and work will be allocated on a regular basis. Our outdoor Instructors can work alone with one-to-one programmes and small groups. Some clients will support with a school staff member, depending on the programme/student’s needs.

Main responsibilities:

• Plan and resource activities
• Devise, plan and prepare activity content to meet programme needs.
• Complete monitoring reports at the end of each session.
• Follow risk assessments and health and safety planning.
• Ensuring all activities are carried out within Standard Operating Guidelines.
• Help develop a teaching space, over time, within the outdoor spaces worked in.

Delivery of activities:

• Deliver safe and effective activities in accordance with programme aims and objectives seeking to exceed the client’s expectations.
• Effectively communicate and safely demonstrate to all programme participants the activity content as appropriate.
• Maintain good communication and always ensure excellent customer service with the client and their staff.
• Keep activity records as appropriate.
• Ensure the wellbeing and safety of all participants throughout the programme.
• Be responsible for personal health and safety and be conversant with current legislation relevant to the safe running of activities/programmes in the outdoors.
• Undertake the regular checking and maintenance of equipment as necessary.
• Undertake regular checking and reporting of the outdoor site/area used, regarding deadfall on trees or other potential hazards.

Other:

• Attend 1-2 unpaid shadowing & participation sessions; these will form part of your practical interview process.
• Attend on-site induction and where necessary, training; this will be paid at our reduced training rate.
• Attend an annual staff training day; this day will be paid at our reduced training rate.
• Any statutory training required will be at the leader’s own cost.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties, in line with the Outdoor Instructor title, as may be determined by Regional Manager/Director.

Person specification:

• Experience of planning and resourcing outdoor activities.
• Basic tool use/bushcraft, campcraft and woodland craft skills.
• Experience of working with behaviours that challenge and children with additional support needs (SEND – Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) SEMH – Social Emotional & Mental Health SEBD – Social Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties.
• Have experience of working effectively with clients, independently, and as part of a team.
• The ability to motivate and encourage people.
• Demonstrate strong communication and people skills.
• Be able to remain calm in difficult situations and identify solutions.
• The ability to set appropriate professional standards for self and others.
• Driving licence and own transport.
• Relevant First Aid Certificate and own First Aid kit.
• Generalist safeguarding qualification. (Advanced will be required for 1:1 sessions).
• A full Enhanced DBS Certificate.
• Must have access and ability to use Microsoft Word & Excel.
• Any of the following – Forest School Leader, IOL Bushcraft Competency Certificate, Summer ML Award, Single Pitch Award, Mountain Bike Leader Award (or equivalent), BCU Kayak/ Canoe/ Paddlesport Coach/ Leader qualification.
• Additional crafting skills with the ability to run sessions, for example leatherwork, carpentry, willow weaving etc.
• Good knowledge of ecological processes.
• Some of your own bushcraft/outdoor kit.
• Pro-active. Resourceful. A team player. Conscientious and responsible. Supportive, able to enthuse others and maintain a professional image.
• Be able to ask for help and guidance.
• Flexible, and willing to work in the fast-paced, constantly changing environment of a growing service-providing social enterprise.

In Our Element Organisation is committed to promoting equality and diversity.